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High-temperature thermoelectric properties of p-type skutterudites Ba0.15Yb x Co3FeSb12 and Yb y Co3FeSb9As3

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Abstract

Two series of p-type polycrystalline skutterudites, Ba0.15Yb x Co3FeSb12 and Yb y Co3FeSb9As3 with varying Yb concentrations, were synthesized by solid-state reaction and then densified by hot pressing. The phase and stoichiometries of the resulting materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy, while their high-temperature transport properties were investigated from 300 to 800 K. The Seebeck coefficients and electrical resistivities increased linearly with increasing temperature for the double-filled specimens. The Seebeck coefficients and electrical resistivities did not change very much for the As-substituted specimens. The thermal conductivity for all specimens decreased with increasing temperature up to 700 K, corresponding to the plateau in the Seebeck coefficient, and then increased again due to bipolar diffusion. We find that double filling is a more feasible approach to thermoelectric property optimization than single filling with As substitution.

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Acknowledgements

Y.D. and G.S.N. gratefully acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy Partnership on Thermoelectric Devices for Vehicle Applications (Grant no. 1048796). The work in Dr. Tritt’s laboratory acknowledges, in part, the support of a KAUST Faculty Initiated Collaboration grant and also some funding from Clemson University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Yongkwan Dong & George S. Nolas

  2. Kinard Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA

    Pooja Puneet & Terry M. Tritt

Authors
  1. Yongkwan Dong
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  2. Pooja Puneet
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  3. Terry M. Tritt
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  4. George S. Nolas
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Correspondence to George S. Nolas.

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Dong, Y., Puneet, P., Tritt, T.M. et al. High-temperature thermoelectric properties of p-type skutterudites Ba0.15Yb x Co3FeSb12 and Yb y Co3FeSb9As3 . J Mater Sci 50, 34–39 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8562-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8562-z

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